VEER

VEER investigates an innovative new biocomposite material to create a chair design that is lightweight, durable, and visually striking. The examination looked at biocomposite that incorporates a rapidly renewable agricultural byproduct: rice husks. The combination provides the durability, formability, and strength of a composite with a surface quality more akin to wood. 

 

The material's properties recall both the bent plywood and fiberglass chairs of mid-century, and so the design takes a cue from both. The concept begins with a single, filleted profile along one edge but replaces a logic of surface fillets with conic sections. The result is added strength, an ability to nest for shipping, a space for storage in the leg, and a subtle, iconic asymmetry. More complex curvature, achievable given the material's plasticity, are also introduced to provide both added strength and comfort at the feet and chair back.